It turns out being one of the best football players ever is good for your personal brand.
The NFL Players Association gave confirmation of that Thursday, releasing a list of the top NFL players in overall merchandise sales from March 2016 to November 2016. No. 1 on that list, per ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell, was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
According to Rovell, Brady led the NFL in jersey sales as well as several other categories, including Nike licensed college jersey sales and Oyo brand sports toy figures (!).
Brady had a couple teammates in the top 30, as Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski ranked ninth overall in merchandise sales and wide receiver Julian Edelman came in at No. 26. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Dez Bryant ranked second and third overall, respectively, while New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz rounded out the top five.
Given the time frame of these results, it appears Deflategate had the opposite effect, instead inflating Brady’s popularity among consumers. The Patriots quarterback filed for appeal of his four-game suspension in May, only to have it denied by the U.S. Second Court of Appeals in July. The study also covers the four weeks during which Brady was suspended, as well as his dominance after returning to game action on Oct. 9.
No. 12 is hoping to finish No. 1 in the NFL’s standings this Sunday, as his Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
